Episode 3: John 12:12-50: Glorious Rule
As we jump into chapter 12, we're given a glorious picture of Christ's kingly rule but also the shock where and how his glory will be made known. Join us as we consider not only how others respond, but also what it looks like for us to respond.
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How does Jesus challenge our view of glory in these verses?
How do the contrasting responses challenge us?
How is our understanding of what it looks like to follow Jesus recalibrated by these verses?
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The following is an uncorrected transcript generated by a transcription service. Before quoting in print, please check the corresponding audio for accuracy.
Felicity: You're listening to the Two Sisters and a Cup of Tea podcast, the Bible Study podcast for everyday life. We're here for a 20 minute burst of Bible chat over a cup of tea and an English style biscuit as we make our way through a Bible book over the course of the season and drive it to our hearts. And this season we're revisiting John's gospel as we get stuck into chapters 12 through 17 together. Whether you've been listening for a while or have just found us, we're so pleased you're here.
Sarah: This season we're grateful to be partnering with 10ofthose.com. If you were with us last season you'll know that we did a deep dive into the first 11 chapters of One Kings. And this book by Jonathan Griffiths was a helpful companion along the way. It's called Wisdom and Knowledge, God's Grace in the Life of Solomon. And it's a devotional commentary. The reason we're flagging it now is because it's just come out. I enjoy the way that Jonathan writes as he carries his reader through the roller coaster of Solomon's life, while keeping Jesus firmly in view. It's a valuable book and it's available at 10ofthose.com.
Felicity: Welcome to Two Sisters and a Cup of Tea. My name is Felicity, I'm in the States and I'm here as ever with my sister Sarah. She's in the UK and we're really excited to be jumping into John's Gospel Chapter 12 this episode. Sarah, cup of tea in hand, good to go?
Sarah: Indeed. Yeah, I'm ready. I'm ready for this!
Felicity: Good! Just a moment just reflecting again five years of doing this podcast. We're just so thankful in so many ways that the Lord has given us the gift of these conversations together and pressing record on that. But as we've been reflecting, we've reflected a number of times and we say this whenever we're in person together, but embodied conversation. I mean nothing beats it really. We're so grateful for technology that allows us to speak like this but we're also so grateful that others can listen in on these conversations through that. But it's made us just consider, the importance of local church, the wider church in that sense. Where would you go with that as you've been reflecting on that?
Sarah: Yeah, I think this is actually kind of continual reflection. It's not been something that's just struck us as we've been reflecting on five years, but the vast array of online resources. And we are very aware that we are creating an online resource here, but nothing matters more in this season, in this generation that we're living in than embodied conversation in gathering with people in the flesh, particularly to talk about Jesus with others in the flesh. I think we just, we have known that through this five years. As you say, we are on either side of the Atlantic. It's not easy. We're doing this all virtually. We're so grateful for the privilege that when we get together in person, the depth and riches of our conversation, of our laughs, of our tears, of our prayers, just it's incomparable, isn't it? Like you just, we just, there's no comparison. And we just want to encourage our listeners to keep that front and centre in winter, in January, February time, wherever we are. It is so tempting to just turn on our online resource rather than making it too your Bible study group rather than making it to church in person maybe and we just want to encourage you we have learnt continually over this last five years that nothing beats being in person and we would really heartily kind of implore you to find those ways to be in person with other people to do this kind of thing.
Felicity: Yeah, absolutely. And the reality is that might not feel quite as easy as listening into a conversation like this or, you know, YouTube, whatever it may be, but it's worth it. It is 100 % worth it.
Sarah: Yeah, absolutely. Okay, so we're going to get into this together. Well, I'm really excited about getting into John's Gospel now. As we say at the beginning of each season, we're reading from the NIV Bible. And just to reiterate as well, what we say at the beginning of each season, we know that we need the Spirit to give us wisdom and revelation to know Christ better as we read the Bible. We need to pray to that end. We have already prayed together prior to pressing record. But if you're listening along now, whether in a group or just by yourself, press pause now, take a moment to pray, and then, Felicity, you're gonna read chapter 12, starting at verse 12 to the end of the chapter.
Felicity: All right, here we go.
The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the king of Israel!” 14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written: 15 “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” 16 At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him. 17 Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18 Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!” Jesus Predicts His Death 20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. 23 Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honour the one who serves me. 27 “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. 30 Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die. 34 The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law that the Messiah will remain forever, so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?” 35 Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. 36 Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them. Belief and Unbelief Among the Jews 37 Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him. 38 This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: “Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” 39 For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere: 40 “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn—and I would heal them.” 41 Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him. 42 Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved human praise more than praise from God. 44 Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. 45 The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. 46 I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. 47 “If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. 49 For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. 50 I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”
Sarah: Okay well here we go. So we're at this point where Jesus is entering Jerusalem. It's a momentous moment isn't it in the gospel and by the end of our section here it's kind of the end of his public ministry. So this is the kind of final flurry of his kind of public action and speaking to those wider than his core group of disciples. And as we were saying last episode I think just the the Passover theme is just really, really dominant here. It's a really obvious thing, isn't it? That everyone's come for the festival, there's excitement, there's kind of anticipation of the Passover. And then Jesus enters Jerusalem in this kingly way.
Felicity: Kingly and not just kingly, as because John is saying that he's kingly, but these scripture fulfillments are helping to show that he is God's king. And you can imagine at the time this would have been, yes, this is it, this is it. The glorious king is here and know, Roman rule is gonna be broken, everything's gonna be all right, it's wonderful. That's why we've got all this rejoicing, I think and yet, and yet, it doesn't stay like this, does it? We're gonna see that even as he gets into these next few verses as he explains, I'm not staying in this kingly moment.
Sarah: Yeah, yeah, he's keen to counter it pretty quickly, isn't he? So this kind of moment happens, but then very soon, some Greeks are kind of wanting to meet him and that's exciting in itself, isn't it? The thought of actually, yes, this king is not just for the Jews, this is for the whole world, Jesus is for the whole world. And we've seen that right the way through the John's Gospel, so that's not news, but it's cool just seeing it here again. But Jesus then replies with a kind of very stark reply that yes his hour has come. That and the hour the phrase the hour has come that that directly refers to the cross all the way through the gospel. But the way that he then describes this hour for him to be glorified is that death will come. That he is heading to his death and that he's like a grain of he's a seed that needs to fall to the ground and die so that life may come. There's no other way around it.
Felicity: Yeah, it is so profound this moment. So we're looking at verse 24 here. And if it dies, it produces many seeds. so it's just setting up and we're going to hear this again and again throughout these chapters. This is absolutely necessary. And it's not just necessary, it is the glory. Like this is it. This is the pattern of what is to come and we see that pattern again in verse 25, anyone who loves their life, well anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. So it's not just that this is what Jesus is gonna do, this is what Jesus is gonna do and we need him to do this, but also this is the pattern for those who follow Jesus, which is counter maybe to what the crowd are expecting as they've been in this kind of Hosanna moment of the previous verses.
Sarah: Yes. And particularly with the phrase the son of man, which if the crowd have any recognition of Old Testament and Daniel 7 and all that is wrapped up in that phrase, the son of man, that is glorious and majestic and ancient of days kind of language, we've then got here son of man directly in reference to being killed. Like he is heading to his death. That's the shock of this glory and I think also verse 27 we see the reality of that for Jesus's own heart. My soul is troubled, like he is deeply troubled. He knows this is coming. He's resolute to head there, but that does not mean that he is not feeling the impact of what's ahead. But it's so striking, isn't it? He's like, should I say, Father, save me? No, because this is why I've come. This is the heartbeat of why he is there.
Felicity: Yeah, and confirmed in the authoritative voice of God that is described here in verse 29, verse 30, that this is absolutely what is going to happen. I have glorified it and I will glorify my name. so just that confirmation, think for me, I've, we know this in the sense that I've heard this said numerous times, I've been taught that this is glorious the cross is glorious and yet I feel like as I read this even these beginning verses There's a recalibration that needs to happen in my understanding because it is it is topsy-turvy It's not the way that we conceive of glory in our everyday lives In the way that society kind of presents that this is uniquely Christ like glory and Yeah, it kind of pushes against my what I want it to look like, to be honest. I don't really want it to look like my king dies.
Sarah: Absolutely. that's what's so striking, isn't it, about the responses that then come after this. So from verse 37 onwards, we've got those who still would not believe in him. And again, John goes back and Isaiah. And the first quote is from Isaiah 53, the suffering servant songs, where it talks about how the servant is going to suffer and then this quote, Lord, who has believed our message and to whom is the arm of the Lord being revealed? The fact that even in the nature of this being prophesied way, way before, people will not hear this. so, and so their hearts are hardened and so their eyes are blinded in judgment because they will refuse to acknowledge God's King as being the one who needs to suffer and die like this.
Felicity: Yeah, yeah. And I think that's really as, and we're gonna see as we get into the upper realm, as we move from the public to the private and we get into the upper realm, we're see with the disciples that it's not a given that even if you've been with Jesus all this time that you're gonna understand and see what's going on. The overarching picture here is that we need the cross and the resurrection in order to even see it. Like it's it's a, yeah. I don't know, these responses are so stark, aren't they? you're, I feel like, come on guys, now we're in chapter 12 here, you've seen all the signs, you've seen, like, come on, come on. And yet, and yet, we on our own, like these people on their own, cannot see it. The glory of the cross is not evidently glorious at this point. We kind of need to be almost the other side of that as we sit here reflecting back on it to see the enormity, the clarity, the reality of what's going on here.
Sarah: And I love John's humility in that, that through the gospel he kind of gives us these little edits saying, well we didn't know this until after Jesus was raised from the dead. We didn't get this, we didn't figure this out. And we get that, another one of those in this passage as well, back in verse 16, that only after did we realise these things. And I think that's just really helpful, isn't it? And I think that just kind of helps us to, again, kind of follow that humility of Lord I want to see more and also Lord I I so often deny the fact that I need the cross. I so often deny that this is where my salvation is found. You are my salvation outlook for other places for it. And actually just, and as you were saying, that recalibration, reorientation of, okay, if this is where God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit say the weight of God's glory is found, the heartbeat of what's going on in their work on earth, heading to the cross, then I that's where I need to be headed to. That's where my eyes need to be drawn to. That's where my heart needs to be kind of resting day by day. that, yeah, just being reminded of that is just good, isn't it?
Felicity: And it is challenging, isn't it? Because as we were saying, that doesn't come naturally. And so almost we have to sort of challenge ourselves, like do I really believe this? Like that God's glory is resting on this, this thing that doesn't look very glorious. And am I willing to accept that that authoritatively is right? That this is where it's at and therefore, almost put the kind of examination on my life, like where do I seek glory that's not like this? Where is it that I'm tempted to walk a different path that I think, to be a Christian, you know, I deserve a certain element of glory in the world's definition of that rather than in Christ's definition of that and just that I'm struck just that almost the juxtaposition that they're next to each other, verse 24 and 25. This is Jesus who dies in order that the seeds would be multiplied. Therefore, anyone who follows him must lose their life now. And I can say that in a big picture kind of theological statement, but in my everyday life, am I prepared to die to myself, to die in these ways in order that the glory would be this?
Sarah: Yeah, yeah, I think that's really, really helpful. And as you say, actually rewriting our definition of glory. And actually, the Jews would have been having to do that as well, because the whole way through the Old Testament, glory was this majestic, big demonstration of God's power and his kind of presence and all the things and and we do have that here in the Lord Jesus but the fact that more and more glory is being attached to the cross is it's a really kind of stark kind of rewiring isn't it of this word and all that it encompasses. Yeah there's so much here. A starter of a conversation. Felicity, would you pray for us as we seek to kind of just round up something of what we've been talking about.
Felicity: Love to, love to. Father we praise you for the way in which you show us where your glory is. We thank you for Jesus, we thank you that he is resolutely set towards the cross in these verses. And we praise you that that is right, that that is what we need, that we need this glory no other sort of glory. And so we pray Lord that you would open our eyes, would you give us really clear view and a desire to follow the path of Christ, that we would rest in our need for the cross and that we would rest in the pattern of life that is given to us through Jesus, Lord. We pray these things in your name, amen.
Sarah: Amen. Well do remember if you haven't found them already we have discussion questions in our show notes that help you to carry on this conversation with someone in your everyday life. But just to say as well there's still time to fill in our birthday survey. Five years in we want to understand who it is that's listening and how we can best serve you and everyone who completes the survey will be given a voucher to spend at 10ofthose and will also be entered into a draw to win a £40 or $40 voucher. So please do click the link in the show notes or head to twosistersandacupofttea.com/birthday. We so appreciate you giving your time just a few minutes to serve us. Thank you.
Felicity: All right, well, we'll look forward to seeing you next Friday. See you then.
Sarah: Absolutely, next Friday. See you then.
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